LETTER: Off base

Published: Monday, October 22, 2012 at 6:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, October 19, 2012 at 6:50 p.m.

For a while I have been interested in what I thought were some insightful observations by John Floyd, in his frequently published column in The Gadsden Times.

Unfortunately, however, Floyd’s article of Sept. 22 was way off base. It degenerated from insight into a political diatribe in which he took a cheap shot by sucker-punching Rep. Craig Ford, D-Gadsden, labeling him a hypocrite.

Furthermore, Floyd blamed Ford and his “fellow Democrats” for Alabama’s funding problem, which will take time for the “Republican leadership” to correct.

Here it should be noted that Floyd neither explains how the Democrats caused the problem, nor how the Republicans plan to correct it. If they have a plan, please activate it now.

As for alleged hypocrisy of Rep. Ford, he is the only legislator with the brains and guts even to dare suggest that a state lottery could help keep Alabama afloat in a sinking economy.

I submit that whoever would make such a suggestion amidst this hotbed of holier-than-thou fanatics is definitely not a hypocrite. The height of hypocrisy is a Republican implying that Rep. Ford cares less about the “most vulnerable” among us than would a Republican.

<p>For a while I have been interested in what I thought were some insightful observations by John Floyd, in his frequently published column in The Gadsden Times. </p><p>Unfortunately, however, Floyd's article of Sept. 22 was way off base. It degenerated from insight into a political diatribe in which he took a cheap shot by sucker-punching Rep. Craig Ford, D-Gadsden, labeling him a hypocrite.</p><p>Furthermore, Floyd blamed Ford and his “fellow Democrats” for Alabama's funding problem, which will take time for the “Republican leadership” to correct.</p><p>Here it should be noted that Floyd neither explains how the Democrats caused the problem, nor how the Republicans plan to correct it. If they have a plan, please activate it now.</p><p>As for alleged hypocrisy of Rep. Ford, he is the only legislator with the brains and guts even to dare suggest that a state lottery could help keep Alabama afloat in a sinking economy. </p><p>I submit that whoever would make such a suggestion amidst this hotbed of holier-than-thou fanatics is definitely not a hypocrite. The height of hypocrisy is a Republican implying that Rep. Ford cares less about the “most vulnerable” among us than would a Republican.</p><p>In short, Floyd's recent essay abandons insight, for good old-fashioned, down-and-out, dirty, mudslinging politics.</p><p>Mack Norton</p><p>Rainbow City</p>